The Abbeville press and banner. [volume] (Abbeville, S.C.) 1869-1924, 1887-11-23


We best can show our grateful zeal
By striving for our brothers veal,
Healing the wounded heart that bleeds,
And BY our labors show we feel
AntsGher's woes and heed his needs
Good thoughts are blest when coined in
deeds.
George W. Bungauin Temperance Advocate.
Drunkenness Abroad.
When so many less momentous subjects
are the topics for discussion in international
and colonial congresses, it is gratifying to
learn thai we have at length such congress
for the consideration of inebriety, or what
we prefer to call drunkenness. Dr. Norman
Kerr delivered the opening address of the first
meeting at the Westminster Town Hall, on
the 9th inst. 1t is lamentable to find that in
all civilized countries this vice-or, us the
Congress prefers to call it. this disease-iS so
prevalent. The most educated nations
Scotland, Germany, France-are as deeply
affected as others; and what is sadder still,
they are the most blameworthy in carrying
the naterieS morbi to uncivilized peoples,
which are being demoralized and destroyed
by drink. Our own colonies are drinking
badly. Men of authority and medical e1-
perience say that in Australia our fellow
subjects drink far beyond anything in
this country, and beyond their own
potations twenty years ago. Cheya-
fier Max Proskowetz de Proskowmar-
storff stated at the Congress that in
Austria drunkenness was increasing
everywhere on a dangerous scale: DR..
Petithan, of Liege, reported alcoholism in
Belgium to be Increasing with frightful
rapidity. Everywhere there are temper
ance reformers and noble men who set a
splendid example Of sobriety and self-denial.
The leaders of medicine everywhere by their
PATHOLOGICAL and other medical studies de-
nonstrate the injury done by alcohol to the
essential organs of the body-heart, liver,
kidneys, brain and bladder. What is to be
fascin aoni ?' ing. Dr. +. B. Crothers thinks that
in the United States the time is not far dis
tant when the drunkard will be taken from
his home and from the street, and quaran-
tined in special hospitals. The inadequate
Habtual Drunkards S bill of our own country
is about to expire, and few weak attempts
at streng thening it are to be made. But
these are not radical remedies. Another sug.
gestion at the Congress was that school
drink on health and national welfare.
This is to be commended. Mere general
intelligence is not so much safeguard as
might have leen expected. Specific lnlor-
nation drilled into the young Of all the Euro
Eean schools seems loudly called for. The
medical profession can do much. Statesmen
and royal families have grave responsible
ty brought home to them by Canon Farrar
in q heavy indictment in this months Con-
temporary Rerie,c, entitled "Africa and the
Drink Trade" which is sad reading for the
countrymen of Livingstone and Stanley.
England. Germany-especialy Germany
and the United States, the chief representa-
tives of that religion of which Charming said:
"Christianity is the mighty power before
which intemperance is to fall, are pouring
rum and other spirits into Africa as fast as
straint from their rulers ut home, and against
the piteous cry of the hapless people and chiefs
of the country, who feel that it will destroy
them, and that it is worse curse than the
slave trade which our fathers did so much
to exterminate. .-London Lancet.